The role of mast cells and fibre type in ischaemia reperfusion injury of murine skeletal muscles

Abstract

Background: Ischaemia reperfusion (IR) injury of skeletal muscle, is a significant cause of morbidity following trauma and surgical procedures, in which muscle fibre types exhibit different susceptibilities. The relative degree of mast cell mediated injury, within different muscle types, is not known. Methods: In this study we compared susceptibility of the fast-twitch, extensor digitorum longus (EDL), mixed fast/slow-twitch gastrocnemius and the predominately slow-twitch soleus, muscles to ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury in four groups of mice that harbour different mast cell densities; C57/DBA mast cell depleted (Wf/Wf), their heterozygous (W f/+) and normal littermates (+/+) and control ..